Hey everyone, Mickie here! Time flies! It is already
the end of the month! I can’t believe this is going to be the last blog of this
research topic, and the end of our amazing Japan trip. It has been such an
adventure studying abroad in Japan! I am so grateful I had the opportunity to
experience Japanese culture and learn more of the language in the country
itself with the rest of my class.
Stepping back into Japanese
education, I will be summarizing my research and findings about cram schools in
Japan. Cram schools, also known as Juku, are specialized private schools
designed to help students with their regular schoolwork and activities. They
operate after regular school hours, on weekends, and even during vacation time.
The students who choose to attend can range from kindergarten to high school. Not
all Juku focuses on schoolwork as some have a variety of concentrations as well,
such as: music, sports, and other extracurricular activities similar to after-school
clubs.
In addition to online research, I
have asked students in the dormitory and in school whether they have attended Juku
when they were younger or not. Most of them have said they did not attend Juku,
to my surprise, while some said they have. I asked both groups if it was their
own choice, and how they felt about Juku, and I was surprised to hear a variety
of answers to my questions. Some said they took cram school, but only during exams,
or when they were little, and their parents signed them up for cram school. Some
said they did not take cram school at all, and some said they took Juku up till
high school.
Contrary to what I have read through
my research that most Japanese children and youth attend Juku, my personal
inquiries to Japanese friends and fellow students have proved otherwise. Most
of them did not attend Juku, and those who did attend chose to by their own
choice. For the few that said their parents made the decision, they mentioned
that at first, they did not like it, but gradually came to like Juku as they made
friends and saw the fun side of it all. For those who have taken cram school, regardless
of the length, they have also said that Juku did help them in their studies or
extracurricular activities and helped them make new friends. This proves that
Juku also plays a beneficial social role in Japanese students’ lives. The one
true fact that remains is that Juku does have long hours, running on weekends, after
regular school hours, and during holidays. Long hours for students attending Juku
is normal, but of course, the lengthy period is still despised.
This is my conclusion on cram
schools in Japan. As you can see there are two types of Juku, academic and
non-academic. Both benefit the students in different ways despite contrary beliefs.
I believe that the school system and other educational institutions are
changing for the better of the students and the future.
Travelling alone overseas for the first time to Japan was
a whole new experience itself. However, throughout this month I’ve had various
new experiences within this country. I have learned so many things first-hand living
in Japan in terms of the culture and language, and it gave me different
perspectives on life. I’ll never forget the awesome memories I’ve made in Japan.
In the future, I want to go back and experience life in other places as well.
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